{"id":10523,"date":"2022-03-31T14:02:40","date_gmt":"2022-03-31T14:02:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/news\/?p=10523"},"modified":"2022-03-31T14:18:11","modified_gmt":"2022-03-31T14:18:11","slug":"there-are-more-people-in-our-churches-now-than-before","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ted.adventist.org\/news\/there-are-more-people-in-our-churches-now-than-before\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018There Are More People in Our Churches Now Than Before\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

31 March 2022 | Oslo, Norway [Widar Ursett with ted<\/em>NEWS]<\/p>\n

The indiscriminate attack of bombs and missiles in Ukraine, over the space of one month, has seen 3.8 million refugees leave the country, and displace another 6.5 million internally. According to official reports, this is the largest refugee crisis on European soil since World War II (WII).<\/p>\n

With tanks and artillery destroying homes, civilians, infrastructure, and pretty much everything, you would be excused for thinking that churches would shut up, shut down, and pray. Indeed, believers are praying across the globe. However, the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Ukraine is neither ready to remain silent, nor inclined to idleness.<\/p>\n

Stanislav Nosov, Ukrainian Union Conference (UUC) president, has noticed that the crisis brings some unsuspected opportunities too. In an email exchange with leaders from the Norwegian Union Conference Nosov highlighted that, despite the unspeakable suffering, the church has become a blessing to many.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Many pastors and their families remain in Ukraine to serve the community [Photo: Ukrainian Union Conference \/ Adventist Media Exchange CC BY 4.0]<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The War and Church Members<\/strong><\/p>\n

Maksym Krupskyi, Hope Media Group and Public Affairs and Religious Liberty Department director at the UUC, highlighted the impact of the war, \u201cI do not know the exact figures, but I assume that more than 30% of our church members are displaced or refugees.\u201d With a total membership of 43,307, this means just under 13,000 Ukrainian Adventists losing their homes or being forced to abandon them.<\/p>\n

At the moment, it is impossible to be certain about the number of casualties among church members. \u201cBut we know of two sisters from Mariupol who came out of their basement to look for water and tragically died in a bombing,\u201d church leaders reported.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople living in areas with no hostilities are managing very well,\u201d said Nosov. But the situation in occupied areas is quite different, \u201cChurch members are running out of food, water, and access to heating. It\u2019s a humanitarian crisis.\u201d<\/p>\n

Some church buildings have been destroyed. However, buildings that are undamaged are used as shelters for the homeless. Of the forty school buildings belonging to the church in Ukraine \u2013 all are now closed with classes being offered online. The Ukrainian Adventist Center of Higher Education (UACHE) has sustained minimal damage and is now closed. Students and staff have been evacuated. \u201cThe area is occupied, and active fighting is taking place. We do not have any information about the current situation on campus,\u201d Krupskyi reported.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe do not know what will happen next. Everything is in God\u2019s hands. But we do know that his hands have blessed us and given us grounds for hope,\u201d Nosov said.<\/p>\n

Serving the Community <\/strong><\/p>\n

During this crisis, the church is busy blessing members and community alike. \u201cPastors and leaders are helping to evacuate people from areas of fighting,\u201d Nosov reposted. \u201cThey provide shelter, medicines, food, information and prayer support.\u201d<\/p>\n

Krupskyi described their new service routine, \u201cOur partners and friends bring aid to the western regions [of the country]. From there, pastors bring aid in small convoys of cars into areas of active fighting, as well as evacuating people from those areas on the return trip.\u201d<\/p>\n

Additionally, through the partnership between Hope Channel Ukraine and the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) office in Romania, internally displaced people are receiving a supply of hygiene products, food, water, clothing, and medicines.<\/p>\n

Through it all, the courage and resilience of church members is remarkable. \u201cOne of our pastors, Mychaylo Prodanyk is from Chernihiv, an area north of Kyiv that sees active fighting. He was saved by God when a bomb hit the church where he was with his family. After the bombing, he came back, facing great risks, to help others,\u201d Krupskyi shared.<\/p>\n

Hope Amidst the Blasts<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>\u201cIn the darkness of death and destruction, people are seeking God,\u201d Nosov shared. \u201cThey are not asking why God would allow this war but seeking to connect with Him.\u201d Surprisingly, church attendance is on the rise, \u201cThere are more people in our churches now than before. The churches that have not been damaged or destroyed, are operating as normal, providing Sabbath School and church services to a growing congregation.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHope Channel Ukraine goes live every Monday to Friday at 11:00 and 18:00, on Saturday at 11:00, and on Sunday at 18:00, pushing forward in spite of challenges,\u201d said Krupskyi. Because of the evacuation, the team only runs with two TV studios, but they are still operating, as is the Adventist Radio, welcoming the ever-growing prayer requests from the nation. \u201cThe church has held eight baptisms and baptised over 30 people from the beginning of the war,\u201d said Nosov thanking God for his mercies amidst the tragedy.<\/p>\n

\n

The original version of this story was posted on the Norwegian Union Conference<\/a> website.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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